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There's a free plan; paid tiers are quoted.
The YouTube Data API’s listed Default (Free) plan costs $0 per month and includes 10,000 units per day across general endpoints. There is no paid tier or overage billing listed. Usage draws down that daily allocation at different rates: a standard resource read costs 1 unit, search costs 100, and a video upload costs 1,600. Projects that need more quota must request it and pass a compliance audit.
01Every plan, line by line
| Plan | Billed annually | Billed monthly | Built for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Default (Free) | — | $0 | Developers building YouTube features |
Add-ons and overages
- No paid tiers or overage billing; additional quota must be requested and requires a compliance audit.
02What the plan grid doesn't tell you
Quota exhaustion
Search uses 100 units per call and uploads use 1,600. Once the daily allocation is spent, work must wait or the project must seek more quota.
Audit preparation
Additional quota requires a compliance audit. Reddit users report preparing documentation, diagrams and app evidence, with some reporting review delays.
OAuth implementation
User-authorized account actions require OAuth 2.0, so applications need to build and maintain the authorization flow rather than relying only on API keys.
Quota monitoring
Different operations consume different amounts of daily quota. Teams need to track request mix and manage workloads to avoid exhausting the allocation.
03Which plan should you buy?
| If you are… | Get | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Side project | Default (Free) | The $0 monthly allocation is suitable for small workloads that fit within 10,000 daily units. |
| Startup in production | Default (Free) | There is no paid tier listed; monitor unit use and request an increase early if daily demand exceeds the allocation. |
| High-volume uploader | Default (Free) | Each upload costs 1,600 units, so estimate daily upload demand alongside other API calls and prepare for the audit process. |
04Is YouTube Data API worth the money?
The free allocation is useful for prototypes and production workloads whose daily request mix stays within its quota. There is no listed usage bill to grow into, but that does not make capacity unlimited: search and uploads consume units quickly, and a larger allowance requires an audit rather than a paid tier. We’d use the free plan when its daily limits fit and build quota monitoring into the application. For workloads that exceed them, request more capacity well before launch.
YouTube Data API pricing FAQ
Does the YouTube Data API cost money?
The listed Default (Free) plan costs $0 per month and has no annual charge. It provides 10,000 units per day across general endpoints. Calls consume quota at different rates, and the pricing information lists no paid tiers or overage billing. More quota requires a request and compliance audit.
Is the YouTube API free to use?
The listed plan is free, with a daily quota rather than unlimited requests. It includes 10,000 units per day across general endpoints, plus listed call limits for search.list and videos.insert. Search and upload calls consume substantial quota, so check your workload against the unit costs.
How do I get a YouTube Data API key?
The API uses Google API keys for public-data access and OAuth 2.0 for actions requiring user authorization. Create and configure a project through Google’s developer and API setup process, then follow the current YouTube Data API documentation for enabling access and managing credentials.
How much is YouTube data?
The YouTube Data API does not list a per-record price. Its Default (Free) plan provides 10,000 units per day, and each request consumes quota according to operation: a standard resource read costs 1 unit, search costs 100, and a video upload costs 1,600.